Diabetic Nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease caused by angiopathy of capillaries in the kidney glomeruli. It is characterized pathologically as a diffuse glomerulosclerosis which results in proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, progressive reduction in glomerular filtration rate, and results eventually in renal failure.
Diabetic nephropathy is due to longstanding diabetes mellitus, and is the major indication for dialysis in many Western countries.
While control of serum glucose level and control of blood pressure are effective in reducing the progression of diabetic nephropathy, renal failure remains a major health problem. Accordingly, there is a great need to provide therapies that are efficacious in preventing, slowing the progression, or reversing diabetic nephropathy.